Flight Safety Resource for Pilots

Do all Pilots need an Operation
Manual?

How safe do you feel flying? Here's an even more important question: is
that feeling an accurate representation of how safe you really are? If you're the greatest pilot who ever lived,
with logbooks full of experience and an uncanny ability to predict the future, then yes, that level of safety you
feel probable IS accurate. If you're like the rest of us, mere mortals, then there will be times when you're scared
(when you shouldn't be) and times when you're "fat, dumb, and happy" (and you definitely shouldn't be.) This means
you must depend on something more reliable to determine whether you're "safe."

What does, "how safe I feel," matter?
This could quite possibly be the most important factor in flight safety. Because how safe we feel dictates
everything we do, both inside the cockpit and out. It dictates how much time we study a particular area of flight,
or how much effort we put into a preflight, or how many seminars we attend. Did you ever have an examiner about
whom everybody said, "The one thing he wants to see the most is the preflight inspection," or "proper radio
phraseology," or "stalls?" Examiners, like all pilots, feel more concerned about some areas than they do about
others. These different concerns are based on that person's genetics and life experiences. Can you think of a pilot
whom you've heard say, "I would never do that...", when that same pilot will go out and do something you consider
even more foolish or dangerous?
What this means is, if ten different pilots are given a situation to deal with, you will get ten different
responses. This is possibly, the primary reason General Aviation does not have the safety record that professional
flight departments do. Professional flight departments and Airlines don't let individual pilots make policy or
safety decisions based on personal confidence levels. These pilots are no better or worse then other pilots, they
just have more guidance and structure.

So what can we do about it?
Personally, I am concerned about many areas in aviation. Some things really give me the heebeegeebees, like
Circling Instrument approaches at unfamiliar airports. But I know there are some things that just don't seem to be
real threats to me. An example would be this: I have never felt overly worried that I might lose an engine on
takeoff. This could be a problem. Since I'm not worried about it, I might not review the emergency procedures for
it as often as I should. I might not carefully check for instrument departure procedures and minimum climb gradient
requirements for obstruction clearance. I might not review "loss of engine at V1 procedures" on my departure
briefing. If I ever lost an engine on takeoff, I would be completely unprepared and surprised. But, while this does
not seem like a threat to me, I want to be a professional. I want to be a good pilot – no, I want to be a great
pilot. So I read and understand that this is important. I practice V1 cuts in the simulator over and over. I make
sure I have the necessary climb performance for this airport elevation and temperature. I check and review
everything! In my takeoff briefing, I discuss exactly what we are going to do if we lose an engine and when we are
rolling down the runway I am thinking: watch out for an engine loss.

So what should a pilot worry about?
Don't ignore your feelings. Pilots talk about loosing that, warm fuzzy feeling. It's important to recognize and
respond to those feelings. The more experience a pilot accumulates, the more insightful those feelings become. But
in addition to those feelings, you should have a list of guidelines and limitations that are well thought-out and
determined ahead of time. These guidelines and limitations should be based on factual research and accepted
industry standards. That is to say, not what worries pilots, but what actually kills them. These guidelines
and limitations come in the form of a flight manual.

Don't you think it's a good idea that Airlines and
Professional Flight Departments provide guidelines and limitations for their pilots? These
guidelines are the culmination of years of experience and research. They represent the collective thought of
many experienced pilots. Decisions are not based on individual pilot viewpoints, or swayed by their fears or
lack of fears. That way, every flight is safe and consistent. Most people wouldn't feel safe if, the next
time they got on an airliner, they knew that the pilot had no guidelines – that regardless of the weather,
aircraft mechanical condition, crew condition, and a hundred other factors, it was up to him or her alone to
decide whether to fly or not to fly. Thankfully, however, this is not the case. We take comfort in knowing
that the pilot has been provided with well-thought-out guidelines and limitations. The company makes
resources, knowledge and information available at the pilot's fingertips to help answer the tough
questions.

If you believe that it's a good idea for an Airline
pilot or Corporate pilot to have this information and guidance, would you agree it might be a good idea for
you to have it as well? Maybe even a necessity? Procockpit's, Pilot Manual Builder program can give
you all of this and more. Read more...

Procockpit is dedicated to advancing flight safety by providing useful
tools and information to the General Aviation Pilot. Please take just a moment and read about our unique
aviation program.